Sam has a plan for the Turkeys

SAM Saville has helped inject new life into the the Turkeys in NRRRL

FORWARD THINKING: Kyogle second-rower Sam Saville has been a welcome return to the club in NRRRL this season. Picture: Ursula Bentley@CapturedAus

A CONVERSATION started by Kyogle second-rower Sam Saville has helped bring confidence to the Turkeys in Ladbrokes Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League this season.

Saville, 28, came back to the club a few months ago having spent most of the past decade in the Queensland Cup for Burleigh Bears and Tweed Seagulls and in the Titans system.

He will be a key figure for the Turkeys when they take on arch-rivals Casino at New Park, Kyogle, Sunday.

"Sam has come back with the intention of winning a first grade premiership with the club,” Kyogle coach Shane Robinson said.

"He approached us and he spoke at length about what it means to him and how he wants the team to succeed.

"He's a quality player and he still has some good years ahead of him to achieve his goals.”

The Turkeys have had plenty of talent back at the club this season including fullback Shannon Walker and lock Blake Anderson.

Second-rower Lionel Johnson has been another handy pick-up from Norths Devils in Queensland Cup and returns to the field with Kyogle currently seventh on the ladder.

Kyogle has been hampered by mid-season injuries but still has semi-finals aspirations after a promising first half of the season where they were near the top of the ladder.

"We've had a bit of a form slump but we know where we need to improve and the boys will be confident with the players we've got coming back,” Robinson said.

"It's at the point where we just need to win and apart from the Ballina loss I don't think we've been too bad.

"We've got Blake Skinner back in the halves and I think that will help us start putting it all together.

"Lionel is a competitor, he hates losing and he's someone you love to have in a game like this.

"Casino is a quality side and we'll be looking to go at them on the edges with Sam and Lionel.”

In other games, Byron Bay captain-coach Todd Carney returns from six weeks out with broken ribs when the Red Devils host Cudgen at Red Devil Park tomorrow.

Mullumbimby plays Tweed Coast at Cabarita while the Marist Brothers and Northern United game has been washed out.

Elsewhere, Ballina takes on Murwillumbah in the top-of-the-table clash at Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina.

Games kick-off at 2.45pm.

LADDER

Ballina 22

Murwillumbah 22

Casino 18

Tweed Coast 16

Cudgen 15

Byron Bay 15

Kyogle 14

Northern United 12

Mullumbimby 10

Marist Brothers 8

Evans Head 2